The West Wind (The Four Winds #2) by Alexandria Warwick
First of all, let me say that Alexandria Warwick is on my list of auto-buy authors from now on. I loved the first book in this series, The North Wind, and the follow-up did not disappoint. I read both the first and second books in the series with my friend John, and we’re planning on reading the third (comes out this month) and fourth (TBA) books when they come out.
Brielle is a Daughter of Thornbrook, a novitiate in service to the Father and the Text. Her dream and one true goal is to become an acolyte and advance in her faith under the tutelage of Mother Mabel, the Abbess of Thornbrook. She has dedicated her life in service to the Father and the running of Thornbrook. Like the nuns of Catholicism in our own world, one of the vows the novitiates of Thornbrook are beholden to is the vow of chastity. She must never touch a man. She and the other novitiates wear gloves at all times, especially when selling their wares in Carterhaugh.
Like the nuns of Catholicism in our own world, one of the vows the novitiates of Thornbrook are beholden to is the vow of chastity. She must never touch a man.
Zephyrus is the West Wind, an immortal god, one of the Anemoi, the four brothers who control the Four Winds. He is the Bringer of Spring. He is also bound to Under, the realm whose existence is shrouded in mystery and mysticism to the novitiates of Thornbrook. Every seven years, a tithe takes place in Under, in which the novitiates of Thornbrook pay a price for the continued existence of their abbey lands. But Zephyrus is also forced to pay a price, one that is far more dear than anyone could possibly imagine.
When Brielle finds a wounded man in need of help outside the walls of the abbey, she has to make a choice. Let him suffer, and possibly die, or risk bringing him back to her room to nurse him back to health. The decision she makes will set off a chain of events that will change not only her, but her entire world, forever.
The story of Brielle and Zephyrus, however, is completely original. Contained herein is a perfect mix of heroism, adventure, love, and sacrifice.
The West Wind takes inspiration from both the Greek myth of Hero and Leander as well as the Scottish ballad Tam Lin. The story of Brielle and Zephyrus, however, is completely original. Contained herein is a perfect mix of heroism, adventure, love, and sacrifice. In order to become the people they were destined to be, Brielle and Zephyrus will have to leave behind everything they thought they knew, about themselves and the world around them.
Needless to say, this was a five-star read for me. I’m eagerly awaiting the next book in the series. Goldsboro Books, an independent bookshop in London, United Kingdom that specializes in signed and specialized books, is releasing a special numbered and signed edition with sprayed and stenciled edges. It’s limited to only 500 copies, and I was lucky enough to snag one. They’re still in stock as of this writing, so if you want one I will include the link here:
For the standard edition paperback of The South Wind (currently a preorder) and the first two books in the series, visit my personal favorite bookstore (linked below) or get them wherever books are sold.
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